When they met in June they increased the cut and stated they wanted Greatest Permanent Value (GPV) redifined by this Spring. We can only guess they are pushing for GPV to be maximum timber, mudslides and descimated rivers.This meeting they are set to approve the plan revision which would increase clear-cutting to maximum rotaion on 70% of our state forest lands. That is an increase of 100,000 acres of forest in the Tillamook alone!

Everyone this is it, we are getting far too close to the edge for comfort. We saw it happen across Nor Cal and the Oly Penn, we cannot let this happen in Oregon!!! Not on our watch. You can help.

Show up even if you are not interested in testifying, this one will be big.

Contact me with any questions. Hope to see you there. Its time to battle!

Come on down to this awesome free party Thursday evening. Enjoy not only free beer and snacks but also an amazing slide show of Tillamook State Forest rivers, and the first Portland Screening of the fishing movie Hustle and Fish!!! Not to be missed, this will be a super fun night. Be there!!!

Jeff Hickman surrounded by other concerned Anglers for North Coast Rivers (ANCR) testifying before the Oregon Board of Forestry at the June 3rd meeting in Salem

Last week, the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club, Northwest Guides and Anglers Association, Pacific Rivers Council, Wild Salmon Center, the Association of Northwest Steelheaders, Coast Range Association, Native Fish Society and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a formal Petition with the Oregon Board of Forestry requesting that the Board reverse its decision to increase clear cutting on the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests and engage in an open, transparent and scientific process to pursue a management approach consistent with applicable law.

On June 3rd, the Oregon Board of Forestry voted to increase the areas open to clear cutting from 50% to 70% of the Tillamook and Clatsop state forests. The Board’s decision authorizes increased clear cutting of thousands of acres of diverse, native forests, which are rare in the North Coast range, including up to 70% of some key salmon “anchor” watersheds. Current state law requires high standards of protection for the streams in the Tillamook and Clatsop forests, which are still recovering from the unsustainable timber harvests and related road building of the past.

While the law requires that the Board’s decision result in a high probability of maintaining and restoring aquatic habitat, state scientists found that the proposal had a low probability of keeping many key salmon basins on a positive trajectory. According to Bob Van Dyk of the Wild Salmon Center, “The Oregon Coast Coho Conservation Plan sets achievable goals to restore aquatic habitat. However, much like the failed Western Oregon Plan Revisions proposed by the Bush Administration, the Board of Forestry chose politics over science and ignored the legal requirements for ensuring the recovery of native fish and wildlife.”

The group’s petition also recounts how the Board violated its own rules regarding transparency and openness at its recent meeting to discuss the decision. Senator Jackie Dingfelder and numerous other Oregonians had written the Board to try to dissuade it from making this move. Chair Blackwell failed to share these letters with the rest of the Board and allotted a mere thirty minutes to a crowded room of citizens who came to testify. Donald Fontenot, a volunteer with the Sierra Club, was dismayed, saying “The Board of Forestry showed its allegiance to the timber industry by steamrolling over the public, ignoring the best available science, and making a political decision to prioritize timber production rather than looking out for best interests of our state forests and the public who owns them.”

The Tillamook and Clatsop state forests that are affected by this decision are the largest publicly owned coastal rainforest south of the Olympics and home to some of the healthiest remaining runs of wild fish in the lower 48 states. These forests and the health of their watersheds face an uncertain future if the Board’s recommendations are allowed to proceed unchallenged.

Well, slowly the swelling has gone down in my stripping hand and I have mostly regained the use of my fingers. My hands are uncurling from the molded shape of my 9wt cork. I am no longer gripping my flask tightly in fear of it slipping from my weakened hands. The reel handle dings on my knuckles and deep line burns have scabbed over and are fading. This along with the relentless, blood-thirsty mosquitoes whose insatiable diet was replenished by copious amounts of Irish whiskey didn’t help the hands out any either.

My stomach is still killing me from the non-stop laughter from the Alaska West tundra madness. The fictional Fowler fishing adventures show, trout back-flips for Mr. Hanky and ridiculously awesome picnic table ninja kicks. The T-Bone hands and knees crawl behind the gazebo followed by a huge grin and blast-off fist pumping was pretty funny too.

These leftover pains are a constant reminder of the awesomeness that was last week. It was one of the best I have ever known.

These are the things that happen when you take a trip in an attempt to curb your sick cravings. Thing is, you cant ever get enough. No matter how many obese chrome volunteers grab hold of your swinging fly (or tea bag) you always need more. Just one more cast, one more tug, one more “BLAST OFF”, one more blistering run deep into the backing.

But more than the killer fishing and amazing scenery, this trip was about letting loose. Un-caging the inner-ball-of-energy that needs to come out every once in a while. That is exactly what happens when you journey with friends to the land of the midnight sun during the longest days of the year. Drinking, laughing and 1:30am gravel races back to the tent only to forcefully peel your eyelids back open at 6:30am and do it all over again. This is just part of the madness. It was a whole week without any responsibilities. The fish were really just a bonus, a bonus that was totally mind blowing.

I remembered to pull the camera out a few times. Here are a few of the moments documented.

I wish more of you could have joined us for this epic week that begins in just a few short hours at the legendary Anchorage Puffin Inn.

There is one buddy in particular who may have needed this break more than any of us who was unable to make it. I rest assured knowing he continues to build his fish-karma-bank to be cashed in on an epic later date. Mitchell, the restrictor plates on the mega-big bottles of brown will be removed in your honor. Wish you could be there with us. Next time you cant miss it!

For the rest of you, here is a taste of what we may encounter in the next 8 days………this is gonna be epic!